Marine signal light



L. T. SCOTT MARINE SIGNAL LIGHTl Nov. l2, 1929.

Filed June 18, 1927 6 ---li Q. 41| www w ,a m Il: Iii- Mm l ,a f

Patented Nov. 12, 1929 LoUIs T. scoTT,` or sEATTLn,.WAsH'IANGToN MARINE SIGNAL LIGHT Application filed .Tune 18,

This inventionrelates to signal lights and is more particularly concerned with portable signal lights for marine use adapted to mark and therefore to signal the location of buoys, dories, channel stakes, fishing gear, etc.

The invention provides'novel constructions particularly adapting the outfit tol marine use, including structural combinations ensuring its eifective opera-tion under adverse conditions.v While particularly adaptedy to marine use, it is not restricted thereto, its portable nature'making. it useful generally where amarking or signal light is needed.V

The various features of vmy invention are more particularly pointed out in the follow. ing detailed specification and claims and are illustrated in. the accompanying drawings forming part thereof and in which a preferable embodiment of the invention is shown.

In these drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the signal light as mounted upon a locationA stake in the water, l

Figure 2 is a vertical section on scale, throughthe' battery case,

Figure 3 is atop plan view of the battery case,

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the an enlarged 'light holder, with the light socket shown in section, v

Figure 5 is a-side'elevation of said holder,

Figure 6 is a top plan view thereof, and

Figure 7 isa detail section illustrating a modified form of gasket closure for the top of the battery case. 1

The battery case and light holder are separate structurally and are each provided with means whereby they may be secured toa suit# able support such as the pole or stake 1, pro jecting above the water and marking the 1o-Y cation of a buoy, channel, dory anchorage or fishing gear. The battery case and light holder are of Water-proof construction and are connected by a flexible velectric cable-2.

The battery case 3, of non-corroding metal, is cylindrical in form to house a single battery unit 4 which may be formed of a plurality of dry cells connected in series with their common terminalsv 5 on vthe .top of the unit 4. Corrugated packingy 6 at the bottom and sides 1927. serial no.' 199,762.

of the case encloses the battery unit within the l case, the bottom of which is securely closed bya flanged end 7. At the bottom and top l i of the case; spaced hooks, bestseen in Fig. 3 provide means for lashing the case to asuit'-V able support such as the pole 1.

A collar 9 is rigidly attached to the Voutside l of the case 3 at its top'and is formed with an outwardly'oiis'et flange 10 providing ya channel between it and the side of the case at thel top' -inwhich a gasket 10 of rubber orfother" suitable material is seated.' A cover 12 for the top ofthe case isprovided with an `annular flange 13 seating `over said gasket lland Y y 65.V

forced down thereon to provide a water-tight' PATENTWFECE connection-by clamping means which willbe now described. The upper face'of the cover 12 centrally thereof is provided with an integral lboss 14 providing a socket in which the lower smooth `end of a clamping screw 15 seats. VA yoke 16 is provided with depending hooks 17 engaging under the flange lOrof thel collar 9 Yof the battery case and' centrally thereof is formed with a threaded collar 18through which the clamping screw 15 is threaded. A bar 19 extends through the head of theclamp- Ving screw and forms a convenient handle by means of which the screwv may be turned to ldraw thehooked ends 17 of the clamping yoke up against the flange 10 -on the upper end of the battery case,this action throughthe lower end of the screw forcingthe cover flange 13 firmly -downupon'the gasket 11 compressing it and rendering 'the upper end ofthe case 8 water-proof. l

Adjacent to its edge the cover 12 is provided with an upstanding stuiiing boX 20, internally threaded to receive the stuiiing 'gland 21 which is inserted from the underside of thev cover. One end ofthe electric light' cable 2 is inserted through the stuffing box, its wires being connected to the two terminals 5 -of the battery unit 4. The interior of the Vstuifing boX 20 is filledwith packing 22 which is compressed by the gland 21 to make a water tight packin about the cable.

The light provides a novel and advantageous structure comprising a tubular casing 23 preferably of aluminum and brass,

having spaced lugs 24 at older to which the cable 2`is led, l

Y which it may be lashed to and held upon thev CTI jacent to Y into the interior of the holder.i

its top and bottom to seat against a support such as the pole 1 and at an intermediate point is provided with hooks 25 by means of support l. The lower end of the holder is open and a stuffing box is provided by a centrally apertured web 26 within the holder ade its lower end whichtis internally threaded to receive the gland 27. The upper Y end kof the electric cable 2 is ,inserted through the gland and web opening and extends fup Suitable packing compressed by the gland against the web makes the lower end ofA the iiolder water tight.V Adjacent to the upper end of the holder, its internal4 diameter is reduced at 29 tocorrespond to the diameter of and `form a Asnug seat for a socket for a small electricbulb of the miniature class, and which, in the of the socket is of the single contact variety. To withstand theeflect of damp and salt air, this socket is of a special and particularly advantageous construction. The 'exterior case 30 is ofbrass, internally threaded at its top to receive the threaded particular wiring `.base ofthe electricbulb 3l and provided with af contactplug'32 of Monel metal extending `do.wii/.thrloughYand insulated fromthe base of thegcase and soldered orotherwise appropri- ,Y ,theMonel contact 32.

i upp .isvgrounded in the case 3,70, by one wire and current is carriedV through .the metal baseV of the bulb,v through the filament. and back through itssingle contactengaging the M Onel metal *contact plug.

JAbove the seat129` for the bulb, the upper endof the case BO'is enlarged in'diameter externally and internally and lis internallyVl threaded. f An annular seat 34 is thusv formed between the threadedlPOrtion and the side of the bulb base in which `a rubber or similar gasket enclosed b a heavy glasslens 36 of familiar insulator crm, the lower threaded end of whichscrewsinto the internally threaded ei'- end of the Bgdown hard on its seatmaking aL water tight joint. l Y

. This lens is of particular construction and.V

is especially advantageous not only-in that' it is relatively thick and heavy,fully encloses the bulbV and thus affords substantial protection, but through having facets cut ori formed on its side faces, it acts yas aprismatie lens and makes the lightof the small electric bulbv visible for a distance of several milesat night at all points of the circumference. This prismatic lensis therefore of especial importance in a small signal light inasmuch as'itimakes Obviously :the circuit B iits. :The light bulb isprotectedandl holder 23 and forces gasket possible and practical the use of a small outlit of this character where ordinarily a much larger one would be required for this purpose. In other words a signal outfit of rela tively low battery capacity and a light of correspondingly low candle power will take the place of a. higher powered outfit and will have long lifel since prisniatic lens is greatly increased in power and radiation without increasing the normal low rate of current consumption.

.To protect the holder with itsv lens and V4bulb "against breakage and the bulb from harinjlj'ulV jar or shock, the' exterior of the holder case 23 at its top is formed with anV annular groovein which' is seated a'rubbei bumper ring 38, Y

The construction'of battery case and light holder. is such as-to provide these=enclosing members withy water tight joint-sand connections. The described connections representV preferable forms but obviously* are "subf jectto change without vdeparting from the spirit of my invention. For lexample as. shown in Figure 7,-fthe. cover l2 ofthe battery case. may have i-ts lower'edg'e thickened and provided'with an, annular recessin which a gasket a() seats, the gasket and cover edge beingforced- `down into, the annular channel atl vvoii'tlie hanged collar Zl2at the topedge of the battery case.

The described is also Vparticularly construction of marine lightk desirable because of its portable nature and provision for attachment?, to almost any object. While have herein describedand shown specific forms and constructions representing a preferable embodi-A ment of the invention, it is tobe understood that these are. susceptible vioff..chang.e and variation within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention whatl I'claim and desirert'ojsecureby Letters Pat-H entis: A f l. Aginarine spar buoy signal light assembly comprising a tubularA water proof'battery casinghavinglashing hooks externally there" of adjacentits oppositeends and an electric cable-packingy gland therein, a battery unit housed therein a tubular waterproof light the light through the n Y holder casing-'separate therefrom Vhaving a v light 'socket in its upper end and lashing hooks externallyv thereof, `an electric light bulb; in said socket, an enclosing annular prismatic lens affixed to the casing, alpackingV gland'in' the lower end of said tubular vlight casing, and arflexible water proof.A electric cableinterposedv between thebattery' and light casings witli'itfs ends extending through their said packing glandsfand eler'ztrically connected withthe battery kterminals and light socket terminals, respectively.

4 2.` A marine spar buoy signal light assembly comprising atubularwater proof battery lil) - and provided externally with lashing abutments outstanding laterally therefrom and with a lateral spar engaging ofl'set, a miniature electric light bulb in s'aid socket, a cupped glass lens affixed to the upper end of the casing, and a flexible water proof electric cable interposed between the battery and light casing with its ends extended through their respective packing glands and electrically connected with the battery and light socket terminals, respectively.

3. A spar mounting signal light assembly comprising a tubular battery casing having spar lashing hooks externally thereof offset laterally therefrom and having a cable opening therethrough, a dry battery unit within said casing, a separate tubular light holder casing having a lightsocket in one end and a cable opening in its other end and provided externallywith laterally offset spar lashing hooks, a miniature electric bulb in said socket and a cupped prismatic lens affixed to and closing the upper end of said casing and enclosing said bulb and projecting magnified beams of light therefrom and a flexible electric cable between said battery and light holding casings having its ends extended through the lower end Vof the tubular light holding casing and through the cable bore in the battery casing and electrically connected respectively with the terminals of the light socket and the terminals ofv the battery in the respective casings.

el. A marine spar buoy signal light assembly comprising a tubular water proof battery casing having lashing abutments externally thereof laterally offset therefrom adjacent its opposite ends and having a cable packing gland in one end, a dry battery unit housed in said casing having its terminal connections adjacent said packing gland, a

separate tubular light holder casing having a light socket in its upper end and a cable and having its ends extended through their cable packing glands and electrically connected respectively to the terminals of the light socketand battery in respective casings;

5. In a signal light assembly comprisinga light holding casing and a separate battery holding casinginterconnected by a flexible electric conductor, a tubular water proof battery casing having a permanently closed lower end, and a flanged upper end having an annular packing groove therein providing an annular seat, and a removable end closure for said end having an annular 'packing 'Y rib seating in said flange groove and having-v in its face within its outer edges av battery cable stuffing box provided with a packing gland upon the inner face of the end closure, and means mounted onsaid end closure to engage beneath said casing flange and removably clamp to end closure thereto.

,6. In a device of the character described, a tubular light holding casing having a light socket in one end and an external annular groove adjacent thereto, and having external laterally oustanding lashing abutments, a miniature 4electric bulb in said socket, a cupped lens closing the upper endr of said holder and enclosing said bulb, and an annular bumper ring of resilient material mounted in said external annular groove'and outstanding frorn said casing. f

7. 'ln aV device of the character described, a tubular, light holding casing of insulating` material having a light socket in one endk thereof and an annular lens seat concentric therewith, and a cable receiving stuffing box in the other end thereof, said socket being formed of a cupped metal casing threaded at i its upper end to receivev the base of an electric bulb andjfilled with insulating` material, l

ductor and its threaded light socket end a contact. y

' Louis gi.V soorr. 

